Globe Magazine Takes Its Shots At Belichick

In the Boston Globe Magazine this morning, Doug Most has the latest rip job on Bill Belichick.

What an original subject. And timely, too. Let’s kick the guy further while we can.

He states as fact:

The only reason Boston sports fans have put up with Belichick’s act is because he’s won, not because they like him.

Let’s put aside the fact of whether Patriots fans actually like Belichick or not. How exactly does whether or not he wins make Bill Belichick different from every other coach that has come through here? Don’t we ultimately judge every coach/manager on whether or not they win? The “likable” Pete Carroll years sure worked out well here. Dick Mcpherson too. We loved Mac, but he didn’t win. Belichick has won like no other coach.

I’ve heard a handful of sanctimonious Patriots do some moralizing on Belichick for the events of the past year, but it was truly just a few, not this swelling undercurrent sweeping through the region as Most apparently wants to believe.

The real problem, as is always the case in these type of stories, is Belichick’s cooperation with the media. Most slams Belichick for his reaction to the truly gut-wrenching Super Bowl loss. He says how in the post-game, Belichick never mentioned “the Giants’ tremendous play.”

Belichick’s first comments in the post game press conference:

“Congratulations to the Giants. They made some plays there at the end and we didn’t. It’s disappointing.”

Most then makes a spectacular leap, bringing up the name Grady Little. Yes, he wants Belichick to be more like Grady Little. He talks about how Grady stood before the assembled masses after the crushing game 7 loss in the 2003 and how in a “folksy, grandfatherly way, he explained why he did what he did with sincerity and in detail.” What he did of course, was leave Pedro Martinez in the game too long.

The funny thing is, if you read Little’s comments, as quoted in the piece, they sound very much like something that Bill Belichick would say.

Most says that dealing with the media is part of the job that any coach or manager in Boston has to embrace. Why?

Think about Bill Belichick’s job for a moment. Think about all the things he does. It’s goes well beyond standing on the sideline in the hoodie, which of course is the image most choose to have of him. There’s scouting to be do. Game planning. Interviewing draftees and free agents. Running the organization. Planning, running, and analyzing practices every day. Off season analysis of every game from the past season, and planning for every game of the coming season.

What percentage of his job would you says involves dealing with the media? 5%? Surely not a whole lot more than that. Is he supposed to let other aspects of his job suffer so he can kowtow to the ink-stained wretches?

There are things that you can criticize Belichick for. He’s not perfect, and he’ll be the first to admit that. How many times has he said that he needed to do a better job coaching the team? His relationship with the media (which is what this article is about…not spygate, or running-up-the-score-gate or not-winning-by-enough-gate) and whether or not the fans “like” him is certainly not something that the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine needs to devote space to.

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Typical Boston Globe/NYT hatchet job. The “I hate America crowd” joins up with the “I hate the Patriots” crowd. I’m surprised he only mentioned Spygate peripherally and did not mention BB’s years in Cleveland or his day as HC NYJ. If you’re going to mimic DanS (aka CHB) you might as well extend yourself.
It is sad how far mighty journalistic institutions have fallen in the past 20+ years. I remember growing up devouring McDonough, Gammons, Montville, Madden, and Whiteside. Besides BG/NYT hubris the Internet has helped make them nearly irrelevant to the devoted sports fan.

Terri

I hate when columnists project their opinions on the “fans.” Doug Most doesn’t speak for me, and I don’t think he speaks for many Patriot’s fan. I happen to like Bill Belichick. He’s a flawed individual, but who isn’t. When the media spend every waking minute focusing on a person’s flaws, of course it’s going to sway public opinion.

John

As a Patriots fan I really don’t like BB as a person. I think he is a first class a-hole. If where to die tomorrow how many people would you find who say anything good about him besides he is a great coach. I don’t think you will find many. He doesn’t seem to care about anything or anybody besides himself. Should that matter to us the fans. No.

Wood

John – do you know BB as a person? You probably dislike his public persona in front of the media, but how do you know he’s an a-hole. If you listen to the big show on Monday’s you’ll hear someone much different than what you see after a game. I respect BB because I think it takes great resolve NOT to respond to the questions that are asked. Most people when asked of their opinion get diarrhea mouth expressing that opinion. I’m impressed by his ability to bite his tongue – that is what drives the media crazy. Will anyone ever dress down BB the Pete Carroll was? Not a chance…more power to BB. Is he flawed? Of course he is, but aren’t we all.

John

Bobby Knight has been proclaimed as a-hole by many but you can always find people saying what a great guy he is. With BB, I don’t see anyone ever saying what a quality guy he is. No one. From former players, people he worked with etc..That speaks volumes to me. Yeah, I don’t know him, but do we know anyone in the public light do we. That doesn’t mean we have to reserve judgment. What I see, and what I hear suggests to be this guy is a first class jerk. You will have to look and hard and far for anyone to say he is a good guy. I think that has to say something.

Jeff

John, you never answered the question asked, do you know BB as a person? All you know about him is what you see in press conferences and in the media’s stories. Have you ever seen how his players react to him during a game? They seem to really like him, and I’m guessing they know him much more then you do. Outside of football its not that hard to find people who talk highly of him, for example look up his work with Jim Brown’s Amer-I-Can foundation, one of the many charities he works with.

Lance

I doubt BB cares what any of us say about him but I do know some people who say he is a great guy.

First off, Jimmy Brown loves the guy. I hope you know who he is. David Halberstam wrote a book about him because he was enamored with his friend. Mike Reiss respects him immensely. Scott Pioli has been offered much more money and more power to leave BB but hasn’t. Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel still speak highly of him. And you don’t know anyone who thinks he’s a quality guy?

Regarding him personally, one person who still likes and respects BB is his ex-wife. That says something. And you ever hear of his kids getting into trouble? From what I’ve heard, they’re pretty well adjusted people and BB has been an involved parent. And all those people unanimously say BB in private has a wicked sense of humor and IS a great guy.

Joan

all you gotta do is go to allthingsbillbelichick.com to see the myriad of people who have good things to say about it. Haven’t we yet learned that people who appear to be nice may not be?

John S.

Personally, I’m a lot angrier at Most than I am at Belichick. Add in Shank Shaughnessy’s latested hamhanded attempt at humor, and the Globe has joined the Herald in a seeming race to see which local paper can be most like their national media brethren in Pats bashing.

Billy

It’s open season on Belichick. I told myself not to do it(I knew it would get my blood pressure up) but I just watched “THE SPORTS REPORTERS” on ESPN. Of course one of the topics was “Spygate”. What ensued was about 10 solid minutes of Belichick bashing. Even Bob Ryan, who used to have some common sense got into the act. Talk about trying to fan the flames, They kept talking about all this “new information” coming out but of course they just talked in circles. WHAT NEW INFORMATION? I kept asking myself. Matt Walsh? I consider that old news. It was unreal…The host John Sauders asking Lupica, “do you think Belichick will be coaching the Patriots next year?…Lupica: “I don’t know, but I think there’s a decent chance he won’t!”….and Sauders excitedly asking the infamous, “Do you think this has TAINTED the Patriots accomplishments??!!” question. (gee, that’s a new one )……NOT ONCE did they bring up the report that An attorney for the Patriots told ESPN.com that Walsh did not have a confidentiality agreement with the franchise or anything else that might prevent his cooperation…..oh no,they didn’t want to go there. Didn’t fit their agenda this morning. And the tape they used to introduce the segment? surprise,surprise, Belichick shoving the photographer….I tell ya, it was a HATCHET JOB and a half they did on BB this morning….I knew I shouldn’t have watched that GD show …..and they ended the segment with John Saunders saying, “Bill Belichick might be running faster than anybody at the combine this week” and all 4 of them laughed hystericly like it was the funniest thing they ever heard.

paul

RE: “…all 4 of them laughed hystericly [sic] like it was the funniest thing they ever heard.”

Sports “reporters” do that all the time. See: The Show, Big.

Rick

ahhhhh….forget about it, I think you missed the point…jeeze

Rick

I LOVE Belichick and I LOVE the way he treats the media. Just LOOK at some of these media clowns. They want it to be ALL ABOUT THEM. They talk out their rear ends 99% of the time. They aren’t worthy of any respect and I LOVE the Fact Belichick doesn’t give them any.

Jim Haug

Looks like many comments that I saw in the Pittsburgh media in the 70s and 80s about “Emperor” Chuck Noll. The more you win, if you are not a back slapper, the more they want to tear you down.

jim

Bill Belichick gives off the personna that he does because its much easier than to try and explain everything. How unfair a society we are to constantly “rip” someone because he doesnt make our lives (reporters) easier. I suggest that within his own circle, the coach is probably most affable. I also suggest he’s probably a great father. He’ll go down as one of the great coaches in history, and thats all we should expect. If he doesnt do his Parcells imitation at each press conference, looks like all the wags are gonna have to deal with it. I suggest that David Halberstams book “The Education of a Coach,” is much closer to the person he is. David Halberstam, rest in peace, has more credibility that virtually anyone else

Joan

I’d like to know who Mr. Most is. I don’t recall ever seeing is byline in the Sports pages of the Globe. My guess is he’s just another writer with an opinion with little value beyond filling up the pages of the Sunday Magazine.

Rick

Didn’t Doug Most used to be that actor that played “Ralph Malph” on the show “Happy Days”??….he was the guy with the red hair.

Joan

That was “Danny Most” I believe. Perhaps they are brothers. Their father is, of course, Johnny Most.

Katie

I like Bill just fine. He has a very dry, understated sense of humor.

And seriously, the media *does* ask really stupid questions .

Besides you don’t see his children running drug rings or killing themselves like other “nice” coaches, do you.